Submitted by WRPS
“Hold Harmless” funding
Over the last three years, Central Alberta Regional Collaborative Service Delivery (CA RCSD) provided support services for students with intensive high needs. This support included a partnership with Child Family Services, Alberta Health and Alberta Education. In the last government budget, the “Hold Harmless” funding for this service was reduced by $1 million. Director of Educational Services Catherine Hamblin provided the board with information regarding the decrease in funding and the impact it will have for those students within Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools.
WRPS approves budget for 2017-2018
Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools approved the 2017-2018 budget. The board is anticipating an annual operating surplus of $132,305. The budget accounts for school grade reconfigurations, program transfers and staffing adjustments directed by the board’s strategic direction. Included in this budget is an overall increase to certificated staffing positions across the jurisdiction.
The board is anticipating that, by the end of 2017-2018, operating reserves will be approximately $2.4 million or 4.9 per cent of annual revenues, including $600,000 of school generated funds. Operating reserves are intended to cover the cost of unforeseen operating expenditures.
Ashoro Student Exchange
During this year’s spring break, a group of WRPS students and their chaperones visited Ashoro, Japan as part of the Wetaskiwin/Ashoro Twin City Partnership program.
Ms. Jackie Ouellette, vice-chair of the Wetaskiwin Ashoro Friendship Society, and Cheyenne Langford, student, highlighted for the board the fantastic experience the students had being immersed in another culture and the benefits of this partnership program.
On behalf of Cheyenne, the students expressed their gratitude to the board for supporting the student exchange portion of the Twin City program. The Wetaskiwin Ashoro Friendship Society is looking forward to hosting 60 Grade 10 Ashoro students in Wetaskiwin from September 21-25, 2017. They are still in need of host families for some students. For more information on this, refer to: Wetaskiwin Ashoro Friendship Society (http://www.wrps.ab.ca/download/103878).